About 50 people attended, including at least 10 GTE executives. By the
time I left at 9 p.m., 13 people had testified. Most were opposed to
a change in the Pullman-Moscow calling structure, though a few spoke in
support of measured-rate service (instead of toll charges) from Potlatch,
Deary and Genesee to Moscow.
The commission seemed to have a hard time grasping the importance of
the community cohesion that has developed between Moscow and Pullman as
a result of the past 10 years' of no long-distance charges. Several
speakers tried to dewscribe the psychological barrier posed if it costs
more to call Pullman, but the commission kept trying to analyze the
issue solely on economic grounds.
The commission's staff insists the GTE proposal is revenue neutral...
That may be true looking at the whole package, but if it costs me more
to keep toll-free calling to Pullman, than it's not "cost neutral" to me.
Bert Cross also spoke about how confusing all the various rate options
are and worried about the effects on senior citizens. Bert, perhaps
you'd like to add some observations of the hearing.
Kenton